Mail- bag



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1;

. Y A. J. MORRISON.

. MAIL BAG. No. 323,534.5@ Patented July 28, 1885,

l, l, A

2` Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. AJ. MORRISON.

vMAIL BAG.

. NWS

N. PETERS. Phallhegrlphsr. Wnhinwn. D. C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

ANDREW J. -iioRRisON, OF wEsT TROY, NEW YORK, AssieNoR OF ONE- HALF To JOHN. N. BAXTER, OE RUTLAND, VERMONT.

MAIL-BAG.

.orneirreATroN frming part of Letters Patent No. 323,194, dared July ze, 1885.

Application filed November 25, 1884. (No model.) v

To all whom .it may concern:

Beit known that I, ANDREW J. MORRISON, of West Troy, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-Bags; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to mail-bags, and includes special devices for forming the mouth of the bag and securing said mouth, a reversible tag-holder, and devices for strengthening the bag and protecting it from wear, and also the application of leather handles to opposite sides of the bag near the bottom, to assist in dumping contents.

In the acompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents, in front view, the upper and lower portions of the bag, the reversible tag-holder being in place and the flap being partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a section on line x x of Fig. l, showing the bolt-strap, the staples, the flap, and also the tag-holder in section. Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. l on line y y. Fig. 4 is a section of Fig. 1 online z z. Fig. 5 is a detail view, showing the tag-holder thrown back, and the handle portion of the bolt-strap. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the bottom of the bag. Fig. 7 is a section on line q q, Fig. l.

I use the old and wellknowu general principle of fastening the mouth of the bag, the main features ot' which are the staples and sliding tongues.

In connection with this old and effective mode of fastening I have devised means for preserving the exibility of the bag across the mouth, for covering the ends of the staples, and for convenience and security in the locking. I have also improved the construction of the bag by forming the body of the bag of canvas and the mouth of leather, suitably reenforced.

The front of the mouth of the bag is shown at A. It is provided with staples a b, Securely riveted thereto. The staples a are set in planes parallel with the sides of the bag, and are adapted toenter corresponding slits in the flap. The staple b is fitted to thelocking-plate hereinafter described. The flap is formed of one or more thicknesses, and is folding the inner edge, and heldby rivets. In the inner part of the folded flap are slots e, metal bound and adapted to receive the staples ce. The fold made by the turned-down edge of the iiap being fastened at the edge only, as described, forms a sheath for the locking or bolt strap G. This is of leather or other iieXible material, and is madelonger than the width of the bag. It is provided with slots m, which extend longitudinally of the strap, and as the strap is drawn back and forth these slots cross the metal-bound slots e. The bolts g are fixed by one end to the strap at one end of the slots, and project inwardly over the slots in line with thestaplesa.

The special feature of the strap is that it is arranged to be unlocked by drawing from the middle inwardly to the center, vand locked by drawing both ends outward from the center.

Vhen the bag is to be locked, the ends l of the lockingstrap are drawnoutwardly, as represented in Fig. 4, and this draws the bolts through the staples. The center of the strap is brought through slits in the fold of the iap and exposed on the surface for a space equal to the width of the locking-plate.` vIt has a hole, 2, which tits overstaple b when the ends are drawn out and the central exposed part lies flat. The locking-plate H fits over the exposed portion of the strap and holds down this part, and is itself held by a padlock in the staple b. The vplate H is hinged on the flap. ders it impossible to pull upon the center to unlock the bag. In addition to this obstruction in the center, the strap is not sufficiently rigid to allow the projecting ends to be pushed back. This construction leaves the whole mouth of the bag flexible, and as the staples extend through only one fold of the flap, their ends are covered by the other side and are concealed. l

The operation of unlocking is very simple. The padlock is first removed, the lockingplate is turned back, and then the center of the strap is drawn out and the ends both pulled in, this drawing all the bolts from the staples a.

A single thickness of leather forms the main part of the bag-mouth. This is joined to the canvas of which the bag is made by 'a lap-joint,

This secures the center and ren- IOO and a strip, h, is lapped-on the other side of the canvas and upon the leather of the main part. Thus the edge of the canvas is completely covered.

. The body of the bag is of inexpensive material, suiiciently durable for that part, While the mouth only and the re-enforcements are formed of leather.

In the locking-plate H is a tag or card holder, It. This is either a plate adapted to be marked, or a frame adapted to hold a card or tag, and it is pivoted on end pins in an opening in the plate H. On these pins it may be turned over to expose one side or the other,

according to the direction in which the bag is to be sent. For example, on one side of the tag may be the words Rutland Xt'lroy R. P. O. From Rutland, Vt, and on the other Rutland, Vt. From Rutland & Troy R. P. O. When the bag is sent from Rutland, Vt., for example, the tag-holder is turned (while the plate H is raised) with that side of the card uppermost which has on it the legend From Rutland. Vhen the plate H is locked down the tag-plate k is also held from turning. It is set properly when the mailbag is closed for sending, and so remains until after the bag has been opened and is prepared for its return.

The bottom-of the bag is formed of a piece, Z, set in, and it is re-enforced by straps, one of which, I, runs lengthwise of the bottom, and has branches 5 5 over the corners of the bag. The strapsl extend across the bottom, and are attached to the bottom through the straps I. The ends of all of the straps are drawn up on the sides of the bag, as shown at 6. These ends are re-enforced by iron plates 7, which are shod with small rods or bars 8, iiXed to the re-enforeing-plates. I prefer to iX them to the plates by passing the upper ends of the rods (bent at right angles) through the plates and heading them down on the inside. The lower ends of the side bars, 8, are bent around the ends of the plates 7, and serve to form bearings for the bag when it is drawn or dragged over the floor. The rods also serve as bearings their entire length. The parts are all securely held together by ordinary rivets. On each side, near the bottom, I have provided handles 9, of leather or other ing its edge folded upon itself to form asheath,"

the strap having locking-bolts contained within said sheath, and slots in the inner part of 6o said sheathv to receive the staples, all substantially as described.

2. In. combination, a flap of a bag having slots to receive the staples on'the mouth of the bag, a locking-strap inclosed in a sheath in the flap and exposed at its middle part, said strap having slots and bolts adapted to lock in the staples when the strap is drawn outward from the center, and a locking-plate 'adapted to cover the exposed portionof the strap, all substantially as described.

3. In combination with the ap of the mailbag having slots to receive the staples on .the `mouth of the bag, a locking-strap `inclosed in the sheath in the flap and exposed at its middle part, said strap having slots and bolts adapted to lock in the staples when the strap is drawn outward from the center, a lockingplate adapted to cover the exposed portion of the strap, and a label-holder pivoted in the center of the said plate over the strap, as described.

4. In combination with the bottom of a mail-bag, the re-enforcng leather stripsK and branches 5 5, and the metal side plates, 7, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the bottom ofa mail bag, the re-enforcing leather strips K and branches 5 5, the metal side plates, 7, and the rods 8, fitted to said side plates and bent around the bottom thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specicationin the presence of two sub scribing witnesses.

ANDREW J. MORRISON.

Witnesses:

CHAs. CLARK, GEORGE R. Bo'rTUM. 

